The fall of Fort William Henry to French and Native forces in 1696 was one of the most decisive French victories of King William's War.
Key Facts
- Date
- August 14–15, 1696
- Fort surrendered
- Fort William Henry, Pemaquid
- Soldiers returned to Boston
- 92 soldiers
- Soldiers killed by Iberville
- 3 soldiers
- English commander
- Captain Pasco Chubb
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During King William's War, French and English colonial forces contested control of the frontier borderlands between New France and English settlements. Pemaquid, situated on the contested boundary with Acadia, was a strategic English outpost and a recurring target for French-allied forces seeking to weaken English presence in the region.
Between August 14 and 15, 1696, French commander Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Baron de St Castin led French and Native forces in a siege of the English settlement at Pemaquid. Captain Pasco Chubb, commanding Fort William Henry, surrendered the fort. Iberville killed three soldiers and released the remaining 92, sending them back to Boston.
The capture of Pemaquid was among the most significant French military successes of King William's War, eliminating a key English stronghold on the Acadian frontier. The defeat prompted New England colonial forces to launch a retaliatory raid against Acadia in response.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, Baron de St Castin.
Side B
1 belligerent
Captain Pasco Chubb.